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About Mary

Mary Penich, a retired teacher and administrator, has published more than 1000 weekly reflections in the St. Paul the Apostle Messenger in addition to articles in the Family Time pull-out of the Lake County News-Sun Newspaper and the Carmelite Review Magazine. Mary published her first children's book I DON'T LIKE MICE in 2009 and her second, OH NO! IT'S THURSDAY!, in 2011. She has also published three daily devotionals, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT... FOR LENT, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT... FOR CHRISTMASTIME AND WINTER DAYS, and SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT... FOR LENT AND EASTERTIME. Mary appreciates every opportunity to share her life experiences and faith journey through her writing with both children and adults. Mary, a native of Chicago, now resides in Gurnee, Illinois.

Category Archives: Children's Books

Our son and his wife recently observed that they’ve been married for almost a dozen years. As I watched them play Croquet with their three daughters, my thoughts turned to a conversation from long ago…

Our son Mike had determined that Abby was “the one” and he wanted to gift her with something very special for Valentine’s Day. Before he shopped, Mike called his dad and me several times to secure our sage advice on the subject. Some days later, Mike called to share that he had purchased the perfect gift. We were impressed that he found something far more wonderful than the things his dad and I had suggested. We were equally certain that Abby would be impressed, too.

Memories of my son’s eagerness to express his love appropriately nudge me to consider the ways I express my love to my own loved ones and to the God who gave them to me. Just as Mike put great effort into Abby’s gift, I need to consider what it is that I present to my loved ones every day. Is my effort in this regard the best I have to offer? As I think about those I’ve been given to love, it occurs to me that when I love them well, I also love God well. God couldn’t have made this loving business any easier.

Loving God, thank you for my loved ones and for the opportunity to love you through them.

“…the Holy Spirit whom the Father
will send in my name–he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.”John 14:26

A reasonably new radio station prides itself in playing vintage music from the 60s and 70s. This station is an offshoot of a television station which reruns programs from the same era. While watching an old favorite, my husband and I got into a discussion regarding our favorite old shows. Though I admit that I wasn’t an habitual viewer, I occasionally enjoyed episodes of The Flip Wilson Show while in college. It was during one such exposure that I first heard the expression, “The devil made me do it.” The comedian coined this line while portraying Geraldine, one of his most beloved character skits. Though Mr. Wilson was popular, this line became even more so. Regardless of what one was accused of, announcing “The devil made me do it!” was expected to absolve the offender of responsibility for any wrongdoing. I assure you that this didn’t actually work in most instances. Still, a similar phenomenon seems to work every time.

Throughout my life, when I have found myself in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, something nudged me in the direction of a solution. In these instances, there was never a logical reason for me to do what I did. I just did it because something from within nudged me in a given direction. When I look back upon these instances, I realize that somehow I survived what could have been devastating circumstances. When asked to explain myself, I can only respond, “The Spirit made me do it!”

Loving God, thank you for the inspiration which guides us through our troubles.

I grew up on the West Side of Chicago where life is full of adventures. Several years ago, I decided it was time to share my my stories. I’ve chronicled them in the form of children’s books. Though it has taken more than a decade to get my first book into print, the result has proven to be great fun for me and my readers. I DON’T LIKE MICE is a great example what it’s like to grow up in the city.